Soccer Positions as Chess Pieces

In his 2012 book Football and Chess: Tactics, Strategy, Beauty, Adam Wells stitches together a 176-page analogy between the games of chess and soccer.

He examines many similarities both games share, including the overlap that exists between particular chess pieces on the board and particular positions on the field. Below are five of those connections, with highlight videos used to demonstrate the analogies.

Goalkeeper as King: Manuel Neuer

The intent of chess is to attack your opponent's king, while protecting your own king. The same dynamic translates directly to soccer: The intent is to attack your opponent's goalkeeper, while protecting your own goalkeeper.

The analogy between the king in chess and the goalkeeper in soccer can be taken a step further. Both the king and the goalkeeper primarily play defensive roles, but they also have opportunities to be utilized in the attack despite their limited range.

No goalkeeper represents those dual roles better than German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. He is not only credited with being among the best shot-stoppers in the world, but he is also recognized as being one of the best goalkeepers when it comes to his contributions to his teams' attack. Whether it's his ability to act as a release valve by receiving and playing out of the back with his feet or his ability to spark a quick counter-attack with a long throw, Neuer's capacity to be involved when his team possesses the ball should be emulated by our club's goalkeepers.



Attacking Midfielder as Knight: Xavi Hernandez

Given its unique ability to jump over other pieces on the chess board, the knight is at its strongest on a crowded board surrounded by numerous pieces. Likewise, an attacking midfielder is at her best when she's navigating the tight spaces that often exist in the middle of the soccer field.

No attacking midfielder relies more on the characteristics required of an attacking midfielder than the Spanish midfielder Xavi. Like a knight on the chess board, Xavi's range and mobility is relatively limited. However, because of his quick-thinking, his field awareness, and his superb technique, Xavi is able to maneuver in tight spaces and manipulate the middle of a crowded field as well as a knight is able to control and influence a crowded chess board. Also, given the knight's unique multi-dimensional moving pattern (the knight is the only piece that moves both horizontally and vertically in one move), the attacking midfielder is often the least predictable and most creative playmaker on the field.



Holding Midfielder as Bishop: Andrea Pirlo

If a diagonal file is open, a bishop can attack one corner of the board from the opposite corner of the board. This range is similar to the range often afforded the holding midfielder, who can act as a pivot player all over the field to send long diagonal passes from a deep-lying position. Similarly, the holding midfielder is like the bishop in that they are both at their strongest when they have time and (especially) space. The bishop is at its strongest on an open board, when there are long diagonals at its disposal. And the holding midfielder is at her strongest when she settles in the pocket of space that often exists between the midfielders and backs.

A good example of a holding midfielder who acts as a bishop is the Italian Andrea Pirlo. Pirlo is known to be a threat because of his free kicks, but he also has the ability to threaten defending teams with his pinpoint, diagonal passes sent to attacking players from his deep-lying position as a holding midfielder.




Fullback as Rook: Dani Alves

Usually the first move involving a rook in a chess match is when it's used to protect the king in a castling maneuver. So a rook should primarily be viewed as a defensive piece. Given its range, straightforward movement, and strength in open space, though, rooks can also play a role in the attack.

Likewise, a fullback is primarily a defensive position. But given the position's range, straightforward movement, and strength in open space, fullbacks can also play a role in the attack. Sound familiar?

A good example of a fullback who not only defends but plays an active role in the attack is the Brazilian fullback Dani Alves. Like a rook on the chess board, Alves generally patrols the flank channel of the soccer field. And like a rook on the chess board, Alves is at his best when that flank channel is open and ready to be exploited from end-line to end-line.




Superstar as Queen: Cristiano Ronaldo

And finally, we have the queen on the chess board. The queen on the chess board is the most powerful, dynamic, and versatile player. And even though I'll always favor Leo Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese Ronaldo is often the most powerful, dynamic, and versatile player on whatever soccer field on which he's playing.